Bangladesh News

Riding on Kumar Sangakkara’s masterful double hundred, Sri Lanka were closing in on recording yet another massive victory as Bangladesh produced nothing new on the second day of the second Test at the P Sara Stadium here on Wednesday.

The day once again was just about the sorry tale of Bangladesh in Colombo as they continued their poor showing. The visitors faced banters from all corners of the venue as the top-order, once again, failed to put up any resistance with a huge 389-run first innings deficit.

The same old pathetic batting in the second innings saw Bangladesh finish the day on 69-4, still 320 runs behind to avoid another innings defeat. After being bundled out for 62 runs in the first innings, opener Javed Omar (28) and Shahriar Nafees (20) started boldly but Nafees paid for his overaggressive attitude as he left the door open for the Sri Lankan pacemen as Bangladesh lost four wickets from 48 for none. Habibul Bashar (3) and Mohammad Ashraful (7) remained not out at the end, but they have to scale Mount Everest against a world-class attack if they just want to avoid the ignominy of an innings defeat.

First innings hero Lasith Malinga was taken off only after two overs as the two Bangladesh openers punished him but Chaminda Vaas and Dilhara Fernando swung the ball brilliantly to claim two wickets each.

But the day belonged to stylish left-hander Sangakkara who showed what could be done with determination after he only scored 6 in the first Test last week.

Fast bowler Shahadat Hossain broke through early by removing young opener Malinda Warnapura, who was caught at midwicket by Nafees after mistiming a pull after scoring a 140-ball 82, after Sri Lanka resumed the day on 154-1 but his overnight partner Sangakkara kept his cool to slam his fifth double hundred.

During his almost eight-hour knock, the 34-year-old batsman scripted boundaries all over the park and reached the hundred-mark in fitting style by hitting a six over long-off against left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique and then completed the double after tea, having played 325 balls that contained 20 sweetly-timed fours and a couple of sixes.

Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene declared the innings to test the Bangladesh batting for the last hour soon after his deputy reached his mark.

Bangladesh’s new-ball pair Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Shahadat Hossain however bowled with some bite; especially Shahadat’s aggressive bowling impressed many. The lanky pacer was over the moon after dismissing the Lankan captain, who was caught at short-leg for 49 runs. Jayawardene was once again involved in a verbal confrontation with the paceman regarding the grunting.

Shahadat took two wickets for 81 runs while debutant left-arm spinner Mehrab Hossain captured two in the space of three balls but the effort couldn’t restrict the hosts to declare their innings for 451-6 in 124.5 overs.

On the other hand, Mohammad Sharif’s bowling as a third seamer was horrible and he completely failed to lend support to Mashrafe and Shahadat.

On a very energy-sapping day, Bangladesh missed a few chances as wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim didn’t even dive to latch on to the ball as it came from Jayawardene off Mashrafe when the Sri Lankan skipper was on nought and Rafique then dropped the same batsman on 28 off his own bowling.